diff --git a/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c b/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c
index d97be9e1875ba233a1defd958780c44885c7346a..543feb42efc4f1e2bd9b6e2d10801f2aaba8d64a 100644
--- a/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c
+++ b/src/slurmd/slurmd/req.c
@@ -470,6 +470,10 @@ _send_slurmstepd_init(int fd, slurmd_step_type_t type, void *req,
 	 * to send step completion messages to the controller.
 	 */
 	if (step_hset == NULL) {
+		if (type == LAUNCH_TASKS) {
+			info("task rank unavailable due to invalid job "
+			     "credential, step completion RPC impossible");
+		}
 		rank = -1;
 		parent_rank = -1;
 		children = 0;